If You Need To
by ScarlettKunai
Summary: The reactions of Konoha when Team Seven returns after their first time seeing Sasuke in three years. Shippuuden. Rated T.


**If You Need To**

**By Ginta and Hakakku Fangirl**

**Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor this song ("Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden).**

**A/N:Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto. This takes place during Naruto Shippuuden.**

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Sakura glanced over at Naruto. He glanced back and gave a half-hearted smile. Together, they sighed.

They had just gotten back with Sai from attempting to bring Sasuke back from Orochimaru. Instead, all that they had brought back was heartache.

Heartache, and the realization that Sasuke had never seemed more alone. He seemed to angry, impatient. But they knew Sasuke. They both knew that it was just an act. He may have fooled Orochimaru and Kabuto, but he couldn't fool them. He was sadder than they had ever seen him. He still felt the way he had when he was still a kid. But he just didn't seem to realize that he never had been alone. He had had Kakashi. Naruto. Sakura.

_When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you_

To Sakura, Sasuke had always been someone who would do his own thing, no matter the circumstance, no matter his orders. Maybe that was why she loved him so much. Because, inside, he was a rebel. He was uncontrollable.

_Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart  
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you_

It seemed, though, that no matter how hard she had tried to show him otherwise, Sasuke had always believed that there was nothing else for him but revenge. He seemed to have convinced himself that there was no relief from the pain, and that people, all people, were cold and cruel inside, no matter how they seemed on the outside.

Naruto had tried, time and time again, to prove to him that he was wrong, that people weren't nearly as cruel as Sasuke had managed to convince himself. But Sasuke had never been convince.

_It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold  
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore_

Kakashi had tried convince him that he was lucky, to have been able to find new companions, just as he had. He had told him that revenge was pointless; he would waste his life away in anger. And, if he did happen to succeed and kill Itachi, then what would be left? An empty feeling, and nothing to show for it.

Sakura jumped slightly as Sai sat down beside her. He touched her knee.

Looking at Naruto, he muttered, "I'm sorry that I couldn't see the bond between you and Sasuke-kun."

"That's okay," Naruto sighed. "It's still there. I know it is."

"Naruto…" Sakura whispered, reaching out and squeezing his hand; Naruto turned his palm and captured her fingers as she was about to pull away.

"We'll get him back, Sakura! I swear, I'll get him back." Naruto stared ahead, and Sakura swore that she could see him starting to cry.

"Naruto?"

"He's my brother," he whispered. "I have to get him back."

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night_

Sakura squeezed his hand again and rested her head on his shoulder; Naruto didn't seem to notice. Sai reached out and took Sakura's other hand; she clutched his fingers tightly and he smiled at her.

_'This must be his real smile,'_ she thought, smiling back softly, '_the one that Naruto was talking about.'_

_  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone_

Sakura sighed and looked up as Kakashi sat down beside Naruto. He had already heard the entire story. He hadn't seemed surprised. But he also seemed to have taken the news really hard.

And who could really blame him? True friends were hard to find, and bonds like the one Naruto held so dearly towards Sasuke were rare.

Naruto glanced up as Iruka joined them, grasping his shoulder. Iruka smiled sadly, then gestured behind him, over his shoulder.

Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru stood there with Asuma, and Hinata was walking towards the bridge where Team Kakashi currently sat, followed closely by Kurenai, Shino, Kiba, and Akumaru.

_When you feel all alone  
And a loyal friend is hard to find  
You're caught in a one way street  
With the monsters in your head  
When hopes and dreams are far away and  
You feel like you can't face the day_

Sakura smiled, a tear running down her cheek as Ino came and hugged her from behind. Choji and Shikamaru both punched Naruto's shoulder as Kurenai put her arms around Kakashi; Akumaru sat beside Sai, followed by Kiba and Shino.

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone_

Naruto just grinned; Sakura could see now that he really was crying. She could understand, though. Naruto loved Sasuke. Sasuke really was his brother. If Sasuke jumped, Naruto jumped. If Naruto had learned a new justsu, Sasuke had learned a new justsu. They had argued like brothers, fought like brothers, competed like brothers. Sasuke had patronized, called Naruto names, and made him feel like he had to work harder than anyone, just to be any good, whereas Naruto had annoyed, challenged, and dared Sasuke to get better. They had helped each other. And now Sasuke had denied, in front of him, caring about Naruto at all.

_'Cause there has always been heartache and pain  
And when it's over you'll breathe again  
You'll breath again_

Naruto just couldn't understand. He had shown Sasuke time and time again that he was never alone anymore. That there were still so many people that hadn't turned their back on him. He had tried, so hard. But it hadn't worked. And Sakura could see that, even though Naruto was far from giving up, his heart was breaking. He needed Sasuke. And Sakura knew that, no matter how hard she, or anyone else, tried, they would never be able to fill the empty place that Sasuke had left.

_When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please  
To tame your wild wild heart_

For now, all that they could do was just be there. Be there when Naruto needed them. Be there even when he didn't. If he jumped, they would jump. If he needed to fall apart, just break down and cry and believe, if only for a moment, that all hope was lost, then they would be there. They would be there to show him that he wasn't alone. That the hope of him being with his brother again would always be there.

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart_

They would all be there. Sai and Kakashi watched as Tsunade came towards them, followed by Yamato and Shizune, carrying TonTon.

Sakura smiled and the tears fell faster as she saw Team Gai, leading Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara, followed quickly by Konohamaru and his friends. She nudged Naruto.

"Gaara-kun is here," she whispered; Naruto looked up, surprised, before letting go of Sakura's hand and jumping to his feet to greet the Kazekage. Kakashi just smiled as more and more people joined them. It was a mark of family, that they had all come here for Team Kakashi, he thought, as Temari hugged Naruto before going to stand next to Shikamaru so that Gaara could talk to Naruto on his own; he was still weak from having Shakuku removed from him, but it had been he who had insisted upon traveling to Konaha the very instant he had heard what had happened.

Naruto just grinned as Kankuro clapped him on the shoulder. There were so many people there for him, for Sakura, for Kakashi. Sai, the Sand nin, everyone that they had met in the Acadamy. Jiraya, Tsunade, all the Sensei who had taught them. Even a few of the people who weren't ninja had shown up, talking to Team Kakashi.

Maybe Sasuke and Iruka weren't the only family he had, Naruto realized with a grin. He had Jiraya and Tsunade, Kakashi and Sakura. Gaara, weak as he was, had come. Sasuke wasn't his only bond. His strongest bond, yes. But not his only bond.

_  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone_

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**A/N: Yeah, so, right. First ever Naruto fic, which is why I did a songfic. So be nice with your reviews, please, okay? And review, I need constructive criticism.**


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